Grading machine



Jan. 19, 1932. B H. FLYNN GRAISING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 19, 1932. YNN

GRADING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 19, 1932. B. H. FLYNN 1,841,799

GRADING MACHINE Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITEfi STATES BENJAMIN 1-1. FLYNN,

GRADING Application filed July 5,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a grading machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine for use in road building and particularly designed for excavating and grading the roadway preparatory to paving the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor driven excavating machine movable along side tracks on the sides of the roadway to be excavated and equipped with a rotatable excavating drum provided with suitable teeth, and side delivery conveyors arranged to receive the earth removed by the teeth and to deliver the same along side he excavated roadway, as well as to spread said delivered earth.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a grading machine having an excavating drum equipped with teeth and of a form and arrangement, not only to excavate the earth to be removed, but also to produce a clean excavated and graded roadway base of the desired contour and ready to receive the concrete or other paving material; said machine also embodying means for removing and spreading the excavated earth.

ivith the above and other objects in view this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 shows a fragmentary plan view of one end of the machine with the teeth removed for the sake of clearness.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary plan view of the other end thereof.

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view talwin on the line 1 4: of Figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a fragmentary cross sectional view of the excavating drum, showing a means for securing the excavating teeth thereto.

Figure 6 shows an outer end view of a tooth clamp and OF AMARILLO, TEXAS MACHINE 1929. Serial N0. 375,925.

Figure 7 shows a front elevation thereof.

Referring now more particularly tothe drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numerals 1, 1 designate the side members of the framework, which are preferably formed of channel iron and which are connected by the front and rear end members 2, 3 also formed of channel irons, said rear end member extending beyond the respective side members forming the end extensions 4, l. The front and rear members are connected by suitable cross braces, as 5, preferably formed of angle irons and by the cross braces 6, 6.

Secured to the respective ends of the side members 1, 1 are the pairs of depending supporting legs 7, 7 preferably formed of angle irons and the legs of each pair being spaced apart. Anchored to these legs and to the corresponding side members 1 are the upper and intermediate bearing members 8, 9. The lower ends of the legs of each pair are connected by suitable cross straps, as 10 and mounted between the legs are the bearing blocks 11 which are vertically adjustable. Adjusting rods 12 are provided. Each adjusting rod is fitted loosely through a bearing in the corresponding bearing member 8 and is threaded through the bearing member 9 beneath with its lower end against the block 11. Front and rear axles 13, 14 are rotatably mounted in aligned hearings, in the front and rear bearing blocks 11 and fixed on the respective ends of these axles are the carrier wheels 15, 15 and 16, 16 respectively which run on the tracks 17. These tracks usually form the side forms for tile road way to be constructed. By suitably adjusting the rods 12, the supporting framework above described may be elevated and lowered relative to the transporting wheels 15, 16 and relative to the ground surface.

7 Mounted on a suitable base 18 of the main frame, there is a motor 19, whose drive shaft 20 is connected, through conventional gearing in a casing, 21, with the transverse shaft 22. This shaft has a beveled pinion 23 fixed thereon in mesh with the beveled gear wheel 24, which in turn is connected, through the there is a transversely extending tro h having the bottom 53 and the upstand transmission 25, with conventional gear in a casing 26 which in turn drives the transverse shaft 27. This shaft 21' has the sprocket wheels 2%, 29 which are aligned with the corresponding sprocket wheels :30, 31 which are fixed on the respective shafts 32, 33. A sprocket chain 34 operates over the wheels 28, and drives the latter from the former and a sprocket chain 35 operates over the wheels 29, 31, and drives the latter from the former. Fixed on the shaft 32 there is a sprocket wheel 36 aligned with a corresponding wheel 37 which is fixed on the rear a e 14 and a chain 38 operates over said wheefs and drives the latter from the former. A sprocket wheel 39 fixed on the shaft 33 d in alignment with the corr spending sprock et wheel 40 fixedon the front axle 13 and the sprocket chain 41 operates over said wheels 39, 40 and drives the latter from the former. The shaft 27 is mounted to rotate in suitable bearings 4-2 upstanding from the framework.

There is a longitudinal flexible auxiliary frame which supports the shafts 32, 33, and permits these shafts to change their posit-i: is as the framework is adjusted. up and down. This frame comprises the low 'tndinal si .0 bars 43, 43 which have be at one end on the shaft 27 and at their other ends o the shaft 33; the connecting bars 4+1 which. have bearings at one end on the shaft 27 and at their other ends on the shaft 32; and 13h bars 45, 45 and 4:6. 46, the latter of which have bearings at one end on the shaft and at theirother ends on the front axle 13. An auxiliary framework is thus provided for supporting the driving sprockets and chains 28 to 40 and which will maint in their d ing relation and at the same time wi l permit the vertical adjustment of the main framework relative to the supporting axles.

There is a cylii'adrical. excavzning drum 4-? extending from side to side of the machine and which is fixed on the shaft 48. This :haft '48 is rotatable in suitable bearing brackets 49 depending from the respective side members, 1. One end of the shaft 22 has a large sprocket wheel 50 fixed thereon which is aligned with a correspondin; sprocket wheel 51 fixed on the shaft 48 and a sprocket chain 52 operates over said aligned sprocket wheels and drives the latter from the former and thus rotates the drum. Behind the drum 47 Wall 54 which is attached to the correspm ing side member This trough extends each Way beyond the corresponding cud members 1 and the bottom 53 is extended fOl'WEUf'llV and declines downwardly forming a guide like chute 55 over which the 9?! is delivered onto the bottom Secured to the end members 1 and extending outwardly therefrom and spaced from the extensions 4, 4 are the bearing members 50, 56. There are conveyor frames extending outwardly from each side of the machine comprising the side members 57, 57 anchored together by suitable cross braces 57'. The inner ends of the side members 57 are pivotally connected to the corresponding extension 4; and bearing member 56 so that the conveyor frames can be adjusted vertically. Adjustable supporting rods 58, 58 are connected, at their outer ends, to the respective side members 57 and the other ends of these rods are fitted through bearings in the upstanding lugs 59, 59 carried by the corresponding side members 1, said rods being externally threaded, and retained in place by the adjusting nuts (50, 60, threaded thereon. By adjusting said nuts the conveyor frames can be adj usted vertically as desired. At the outer ends of the conveyor frames there are the transverse shafts 61, 61 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings at said outer ends and the corresponding ends of the shafts 61 are extended and have sprocket wheels as 62 fixed thereon which are aligned with corresponding sprocket wheels 63 which are fixed to the stub shafts 64.

Sprocket chains as 65, 65 operate over the respective sprocket Wheels 63, G2 at each end of the machine, and drive the latter from the former. Each stub shaft 64 has a beveled pinion 66 fixed thereon in mesh with and driven by a similar pinion 67 fixed on the corresponding end of drum shaft 48. Each shaft 61 has a centrally located sprocket wheel 68 fixed thereon and the sprocket chains (59, (if). operate over said res Jtive sprocket wheels 68, 68. There are two longitudinal shafts 70 mounted to rotate in suitable bearings carried by the framework and fixed on the shafts 70 are the respective sprocket wheels 71 aligned with the corresponding sprocket wheels 68. The chains 69 operate ove these s-mrocliet wheels (38., Ti and travel in the direct ons indicated by the arrows in Figure 3. These chains have the transverse cleats 7 2 attached to the outer sides thereof and spaced apart. These cleats are substan tially equal in length to the width of the trough bottom 53 and move along said bottom outwardly as the chains 69 revolve and carry the earth deposited in the conveyor trough outwardly and spread the same over the ground adjacent the roadway on each side.

The laterally extending conveyor frames will accordingly be adjusted to conform to the contour of the ground upon each side of the roadway being excavated.

The excavating drum 47 rotates in the direction of the arrow indicated in Figure 4. and has the excavating teeth 73 secured thereto and radiating therefrom and as the drum is driven the earth to be excavated will be n owcd up by sa d teeth and forced and thrown up the guideway within the range iii) shank of the tooth therein.

of the conveyor cleats 72. The teeth 73 are arranged along the drum 47 from end to end thereof and preferably in spiral rows, the teeth of one row being preferably arranged in staggered relation with respect to the teeth of the adjacent rows.

These t-ee' h may be secured to the drum in any preferred manner. Means for so securing said teeth to the drum are illustrated in Figures 7 inclusive. Referring more particularly to these figures the numeral 74 designates a clamp as a whole, having the lateral cars 75, provided with bolt holes. Beneath said ears the clamp has a reduced tapered stud 76' adapted to be fitted in a hole 77, in the drum and this stud has a bearing 78 therethrough to receive the shank of the corresponding tooth 7 3 and said bearing 7 8 extends upwardly forming the groove 7 9 in the front side of the clamp to receive the outer end of said tooth. The clamp 74 is slotted from its innner end tonear its outer end so that it will be contractile and the outer end of this slot is enlarged as at 80. To secure a tooth to the drum 47 it is first inserted through the groove 79 and the bearing T8 and the stud 76 is then inserted through the hole 77 of the drum and conventional bolts 81 are then fitted through the holes 82, 82 through the drum, one on each side of its cor responding hole 77 and the nuts of said bolts 81 are then tightened up to draw the ears 75 closely against the outside of the drum and to force the stud 76 through the hole 77 in which it is located thus tightly clamping the If desired an adial securing bolt 83 may be inserted through the tooth and through the slot and secured therein by the nut 8st. The teeth are thus firmly secured to the drum extending out substantially radially relative thereto.

One contour of the drum as defined by the outer ends of the teeth is indicated in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 and is of such form as to give a substantially convex contour to the excavated roadway.

In operation, rotation will be imparted from the motor 19 through the shafts and gearin described to the shafts 22 and 27 and from the form-er to the excavating drum and conveying mechanism as described. From the shaft 27 the axles 13 and 1e will be driven to propel the machine along as work progrosses.

The drawings and specification disclose what is now considered a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration but variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Due to the type of clamp used, the teeth may be adjusted to any desired contour or shape of grade, that is, concave or convex or straight grade. The teeth are straight fiat pieces of steel and may be adjusted by loosening the clamps and slipping them either in wardly or outwardly of the drum of the machine. For example, if outer tooth clamps were loosened on the ends of drum as shown in drawing, teeth could then be slipped back toward center of drum until they were in line with center teeth, thus throwing all teeth in a straight line. The machine would then cut a straight grade. If slipped still further toward center, a convex grade would result.

This is one of the principal points of this machine.

Attention is further invited to the fact that the trough bottom or platform 53 is near the normal ground level and extends only a slight distance beyond the longitudinal edges of the grade, sufficiently to prevent discharge of earth onto the side forms or tracks 15. The conveyors 69-72 however, extend beyond the ends of said trough bottom or platform 53. Thus, the cleats 72 of these conveyors drag the earth from the platform or trough bottom 5 discharge it a. slight distance outwardly from the side forms 17, spread the discharged earth along the edges of the grade, and substantially level the spread earth. This is of advantage for a number of reasons. It well conditions the earth for dragging a portion of it onto the green concrete of which the highway is constructed, for use in properly curing the concrete, this earth dragging operation being preferably performed by the machine shown in my pending U. S. application Serial No. 403,798, filed August 31, 1929. Spreading the earth in this manner, smooths the areas alongside of the highway and allows the worxmen to wall; unobstructedly. Moreover, the earth is in readiness to form the required shoulders along the edges of the completed road. Furthermore, when the forms 17 are removed, the comparatively loose earth is in readiness to be uniformly dragged in against the edges of the uncured concrete and this maybe done in a way which will leave no depressions of moment in which water may settle and from which such water could gravitate under the concrete to interferewith proper curing- Extension of the trough platform 53 somewhat beyond the edges of the grade, insures that the earth as it is discharged, shall not pile directly against the outer sides of the forms 17, and consequently the earth will not interfere with removal of these forms at the proper time.

Further attention is invited to the forwardly declined platform portion or plate 55. The rapidly rotating cutting drum throws most of the earth up this incline onto the platform or the like 53, but some of said earth is virtually pushed up the incline. There is thus always a quantity of loose earth on the platform portion 55 tending to gravitate to the front edge thereof. The result is that whenever this front edge of the plate or platform portion 55 reaches a depression whose bottom has not been reached by the rotary digging drum, some of the earth will fall from the front edge .of said plate or platform portion to fill such depression. Hence, the existence of depressions in the grade prepared by the machine, is overcome.

What I claim is 1. A machine for excavating roadways including a framework, carrier wheels for supporting and transporting said framework, 9, motor on the framework, means for establishing a driving relation between said motor and carrier wheels, a transverse rotatable drum mounted on the framework, excavatimr teeth carried by said drum, means establishing a driving relation between said motor and drum, a transverse conveyor trough carried by the framework and arranged behind "the drum to receive the earth excavated by said teeth, laterally movable conveyors movable in the trough and effective to deliver the excavated earth from said trough alongside the roadway being excavated and means for adjusting the outer ends of the conveyors vertically,

2. A machine for excavating roadways including a framework, carrier wheels for supporting and transporting said framework, a motor on the framework, means for estab lishing a driving relation between said motor and carrier wheels, a transverse rotatable drum mounted on the framework, excavating teeth carried by said drum, means establishing a driving relation between said motor and drum, a. transverse conveyor trough carried by the framework and arranged behind the drum to receive the earth excavated by said teeth, laterally movable conveyors movable in the trough and effective to deliver the excavated earth from said trough alongside the roadway being excavated, means for vertically adjusting said framework relative to said carrier wheels, and means for vertically adjusting the outer ends of said conveyors.

3. An excavating machine including a framework, carrier wheels on which the framework is mounted, a transverse, rotatable, excavating means having radial teeth, mounted in the framework and adapted to excavate the earth beneath a said means, side delivery conveyor behind said excavating means arranged to receive the excavated earth therefrom, and effective to deliver said earth alon side said machine, means for adjusting the ramcwork vertically relative to said carrier wheels and means for adjusting the outer end of the said conveyors vertically.

4. A grader for highway eoi'istruction, comprising a portable frame, earth digging means mounted on said frame for digging throughout the width of the grade, a transverse pan on :the frame behind said digging means disposed near the ground level and adapted to receive the excavated earth, means operable over said pan for laterally dragging the earth therefrom to an edge of the grade, said dragging means embodying a portion projecting beyond said pan for laterally dragging :the earth from the latter and spreading it along the edge of the grade, and means for vertically adjusting said projecting portion of said earth-dragging means.

5. A grader comprising aportable frame, earth-digging means mounted on said frame for digging throughout the width of the grade, a transverse platform behind said digging means to receive the earth, said platform being mounted on said frame near the ground level and terminating slightly beyond the longitudinal edge of the grade, a trans verse drag conveyor whose lower reach operates upon said platform to drag the earth therefrom and discharge it along said edge of the grade, said lower reach of said drag conveyor extending beyond said platform to outwardly drag and spread the discharged earth, and means for vertically adjusting said extending portion of said drag conveyor.

'6. A grader comprising a portable frame, earth-digging means mountedon said frame for digging throughout the width of the grade, a transverse platform behind said digging means to receive the earth, said platform being mounted on said frame near the ground level and terminating slightly beyond both longitudinal edges of the grade, two transverse drag conveyors whose lower reaches operate upon said platform to drag the earth therefrom and discharge it along both edges of the grade, said lower reaches of said dra conveyors extending beyond the ends of said platform to outwardly drag and spread the discharged earth, and means for vertically adjusting said extending portions of said drag conveyors.

'7. A grader for highway construction, comprising a portable frame, a transverse rotary digger mounted thereon for di ging throughout the width of the grade, sai digger having teeth adapted to excavate and rearwardly throw the earth, a transverse platform near the ground level mounted on said frame behind said digger, said platform having a forwardly declined front portion up which said teeth alone throw the earth, said platform havin a back wall to intercept the rearwardly thrown earth, and a transverse drag conveyor for dragging the earth from the platform, said forwardly declined platform portion allowing some of the earth to slide down the grade in readiness to fill any depressions whose bottoms have not been reached by said digger.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

BENJAMIN H. FLYNN. 

